


Pride & Zombies

by FenyxNyteRyder



Category: 2P Hetalia - Fandom, Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombies, F/M, FrUK, M/M, Off-screen Relationship(s), Romerica, inspired by Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, romerica secret santa 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 17:13:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9081871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FenyxNyteRyder/pseuds/FenyxNyteRyder
Summary: The year is 1798. Undead have begun to roam the English countryside, infecting all that they come into contact with. Survival is of the utmost importance when death could strike at any moment.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Gift for @aph-lithuania for the 2016 @romericasecretsanta Tumblr exchange.

The Zombie Scourge of 1798.

 

Hundreds of the undead began to rise from the ground, infecting any living thing that it managed to bite, be it animal or human, and causing their flesh to decay and rot away as they became walking vessels of rotting corpses still clinging on to their seemingly mindless lives with their only goals being to feast upon the flesh of the living.

 

Nobody knew why or how these undead beings came to plague England’s countrysides (other than the obvious speculation and renewed fear of witchcraft or some type of dark sorcery being at work), but it seemed as though that was not the only country being affected, most of the European countries being cursed with the walking dead. The scent of rotten and decomposing flesh seemed to be ever-present in the air, lingering particularly in areas that were infested with nests of the creatures, the sites of previous mass graves that had been made long ago when the Black Plague had once ravaged the lands.

 

Cities were safer, of course, with the walls and defenses to keep all of the zombies at bay, but those hardly mattered when all of the food supplies came from outside of the cities at the farmlands that were sprinkled across the English countryside. Even the estates of the nobles were rarely safe from the undead scourge.

 

Naturally though, the upper class did have an admittedly unfair advantage over the lower classes, those less fortunate to not have been born with or married into a family of wealth. Money meant survival: better weapons, hiring specialized guards for protection, trainers to help coach nobles’ children in the arts of combating the undead. Of course, that didn’t even factor into account the normal necessities such as fresh food and clothing.

 

Entertainment, on the other hand. Well, that was a much rarer and more precious obtainment still. Social gatherings and balls were few and far between during recent days, the inability to travel safely to estates making it increasingly difficult to host such events. However, the few sporadic balls that did manage to be hosted, nearly all those invited were drawn there like moths to a flame, while being properly armed for any danger that may occur along the routes.

 

It was at one of these such balls that Alfred saw  _ her _ , the eldest daughter of the house of Vargas, a noble family that had recently moved to Yorkshire five years prior to escape the scourge that had afflicted the Italian landscape and taken away the father and mother of the five daughters, leaving the five children to end up living with their grandfather: a man by the name of Romulus who was well-known for throwing extravagant parties. Alfred himself was from the house of Kirkland, the younger of a set of twin sons belonging to Arthur and Marianne, twenty-three years old and yet to be married.

 

“You know, you should really stop staring at her before you start to drool. It’s in bad taste, brother,” Alfred’s older brother Matthew scolded him. “You might as well go over and introduce yourself and ask her to dance. Before she gets taken by one of the other guys here.” Matthew raised his wineglass towards his brother before taking a sip and surveying the room. “Besides, a good wife would suit you and finally get Father off of my ass about getting me to marry someone.”

 

Alfred resisted the urge groan and punch his twin’s shoulder, instead settling for an indignant huff and roll of his eyes. “Yes, yes, I know all about you and your...lover that you keep sneaking off to the city to see. Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. Someone has to…”

 

“Besides, from what I’ve heard, Lord Vargas ended up paying quite a good deal of money to have all of his granddaughters highly trained in combating the undead ever since their parents were killed by the monsters. You could use someone like that who could match your skills on all of your crazy little stunts to go hunt down the creatures.” Giving his brother a mock toast with his glass, Matthew glanced around a bit before starting to walk off. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some...business to attend to.”

 

With that, Alfred was left to stare after Matthew’s retreating form in the crowd before the older twin slipped out into one of the hallways of the manor. Well, looks like Alfred’s wingman was gone. Taking a calming breath, Alfred straightened his posture, smoothing out his suit and putting one of his trademark sunshine smiles before skirting the ballroom floor and making his way over to where a group of five young women were standing together giggling behind open fans. Naturally, the group was quick to disperse, save for the woman that Alfred had had his eyes on.

 

“Hello, I’m Alfred Kirkland,” he introduced with a sweeping bow before extending his hand towards the maiden. “Might I be so inclined as to ask what your name is?”

 

The Italian woman scoffed softly, raising an eyebrow before a smirk tugged at her lips. “Tch. As if you don’t already know who I am, judging by the way that you’ve been staring most of the evening.” Regardless, she placed one hand in Alfred’s outstretched one, curtsying. “Chiara Vargas. Eldest granddaughter of Romulus Vargas of the House of Vargas. Those numskulls over there are my sisters: Eliza, Daisy, Angelica, and Bianca.”

 

Grinning sheepishly with a half-hearted chuckle, Alfred tugged at the collar of his shirt. “Ah yes, well, it is pretty hard to not… Y’know, not look at someone who looks…”

 

“Beautiful? Yes, I’ve heard that a hundred times before,” Chiara stated wryly, only to raise an eyebrow as Alfred shook his head.

 

“Smart. Intelligent. Witty. I mean, you are beautiful, of course, but beauty isn’t everything,” Alfred explained, noticing the faintest blush tinge the other’s olive-toned complexion. “How about we have a dance and get to know each other bett--”

 

_ “The undead are coming!” _

 

The scream echoed throughout the ballroom above the music which was abruptly cut off as panic began to set in, the groaning of the undead monstrosities barely being heard above the cacophony that the patrons of the ball were causing.

 

“Cazzo! Merda!” Chiara exclaimed in irritation, reaching beneath the skirts of her dress to pull out a long dagger from  where it had been strapped in its thigh sheath before she began to storm off towards the entrance of the manor.

 

“H-Hey, wait!” Alfred called after her, dodging through the crowd in an attempt to catch up to her. “You can’t just--”

 

He was cut off as Chiara whirled around and jabbed a finger in his chest. “Listen here, stronzo. I am not letting my house fall to those unholy demons. You’re either in or you’re out; I don’t have time for this back and forth bullshit.”

 

Blinking in surprise, Alfred merely grinned widely. “I was going to say that you can’t just run off without letting me at least help you fight them. I’m pretty good with a gun and a sword myself. How about the one who kills the most has to host the next ball?”

 

Chiara simply stared at the blonde for several long moments before smiling a smile that sent shivers down Alfred’s spine. “You better be prepared to lose.”

**Author's Note:**

> Characters: Alfred Kirkland (America), Arthur Kirkland (England), Marianne Bonnefoy-Kirkland (Nyo!France), Matthew Kirkland (Canada), Chiara Vargas (Nyo!Romano), Daisy Vargas (Nyo!Italy), Bianca Vargas (Nyo!Seborga), Angelica Vargas (2p!Nyo!Italy), Eliza Vargas (2p!Nyo!Romano), Romulus Vargas (Rome)


End file.
